Damo Mitchell - Daoist Nei Gong: The Philosophical Art of Change

DAOIST NEI GONG

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DAOIST NEI GONG

The Philosophical Art of Change

DAMO MITCHELL

FOREWORD BY DR CINDY ENGEL

London and Philadelphia

First published in 2011

by Singing Dragon

an imprint of Jessica Kingsley Publishers

116 Pentonville Road

London N1 9JB, UK

and

400 Market Street, Suite 400

Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA

www.singingdragon.com

Copyright Damien Mitchell 2011

Foreword copyright Cindy Engel 2011

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form (including photocopying or storing it in any medium by electronic means and whether or not transiently or incidentally to some other use of this publication) without the written permission of the copyright owner except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 or under the terms of a licence issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd, Saffron House, 610 Kirby Street, London EC1N 8TS. Applications for the copyright owners written permission to reproduce any part of this publication should be addressed to the publisher.

Warning: The doing of an unauthorized act in relation to a copyright work may result in both a civil claim for damages and criminal prosecution.

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data

A CIP catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN 978 1 84819 065 8

ISBN pdf eBook 978 0 85701 033 9

I dedicate this book to all sincere practitioners of the internal arts.
May the search for truth be fruitful and rewarding.

DISCLAIMER

The author and publisher of this material are not responsible in any way whatsoever for any injury that may occur through reading or practising the exercises outlined in this book.

The exercises and practices may be too strenuous or risky for some people and so you should consult a qualified doctor before attempting anything from this book. It is also advised that you proceed under the guidance of an experienced teacher of the internal arts to avoid injury and confusion.

Note that any form of internal exercise is not a replacement for conventional health practices, medicines or any form of psychotherapy.

CONTENTS

List of Figures, Tables and Boxes

FIGURES

Three Stages of Nei Gong Training

Three Nei Gong Substances of Daoism

The Microcosm and the Macrocosm

The Three Powers

Wuji

The Spiral Force: Taiji

Yin and Yang

The Taiji Symbol

Vibrational Frequency

The Eight Sacred Symbols, Gua

The Kan Gua, Kan Gua as a Wave, Kan Gua Vibration

Li and Kan Constructing Yang and Yin

The Wu Xing or Five Elemental Processes

Tian (Heaven) and Di (Earth)

Qian Gua, Pure Yang, Representative of Heaven

Kun Gua, Pure Yin, Representative of Earth

The Daoist Process of Creation

Formation of the Microcosm and Macrocosm

Jing, Qi and Shen Transformation

Connection of the Three Bodies via the Dan Tien

The Three Bodies of Man and the Mysterious Pass

The Acquired Meridians

Wu Xing Diagram

The Human Foetus

The Ren and Du Small Water Wheel of Qi

The Energetic Cage of the Small Water Wheels of Qi

The Governing and Conception Meridians

The Thrusting Meridian

The Girdling Meridian

The Energetic Coil of the Girdling Meridian

Reacting to the Spiralling Qi

The Yin and Yang Linking Meridians

The Yin and Yang Heel Meridians

The San Dan Tien

Natural Rotation of the Dan Tien

Location of the Lower Dan Tien

Lower Dan Tien Symbol

The Middle Dan Tien

The Upper Dan Tien

The Wei Qi Field

The Aura

The Heart-Mind

The Respiration and Emotional Cycle

The Cavities of the Human Torso and the Diaphragm

The Process of Sung

The Tension Cycle

Sung Practice Positions

Movement of the Aura

Standing for Sung Practice

Yongquan

Vibrations in the Legs

Mixing of Taiyang and Taiyin Qi

Compressing the Pearl

Flying Hands

Opening the Chest

Upholding the Moon

Swimming Dragon

Diagonal Flying

Cow Turns its Head

The Heavenly Bow

Secret Sword Mudra

Closing Down

The Relaxation/Alignment Cycle

Incorrect Line of Body Weight

Cats Rear Legs

The Ideal Position for the Human Centre of Gravity

The Structure of a Bridge

The Human Pelvis: Key Stone of the Body

Mabu and Wuji

Incorrect Mabu

The Area of the Kua

Correct Alignment of the Human Spine

Misalignments of the Pelvis and Lower Back

Getting Ready to Practise the Daoist Spinal Wave

Rotating the Pelvis Forward

Spinal Wave

The Back Shu Points

Mingmen

The Natural Path of a Persons Ming

Skeletal Structure of a Cat

The Line of Connection

Preparing to Free up the Scapula

Spreading the Back

Bringing the Scapula Forward

Two Weights and a Chain

Starting to Open the Spine

The Squat

Location of the Lower Dan Tien

Kan and Li

Inverting Kan and Li

Taiji Symbol

The Behaviour of Qi

Process of Qi Circulation

Taiji Symbols

Rotating the Lower Dan Tien

Spontaneous Energetic Movement

Taiwanese Spontaneous Energetic Movement

The Energetic Cage of the Small Water Wheels of Qi

The First Small Water Wheel of Qi

The Shoulders Nest

Spiralling Yang Qi

Seated Practice

Daoist Shoujue

Vibration along the Thrusting Meridian

Large Water Wheel

Functions of the Shen

The Heart-Mind

Expanding from the Middle Dan Tien

Location of the Mysterious Pass

Formation and Movement of Qi in the Body

TABLES

Categorisation According to Wu Xing

Movement of the Wu Xing

Elemental Associations of the 12 Aquired Meridians

Emotions and their Energetic Movements

The Emotional Manifestations of the Wu Xing

The Wu Xing, Emotions and Virtues

BOXES

Who Should Not Train

Sinking Like Water

The Importance of Flexibility

Yang Shen Fa

Nei Gong and Chinese Medicine

Combining Nei Gong with Nei Jia

FOREWORD

T hroughout history numerous cultures have developed processes of human transformation using only aspects of mind. Practitioners are able to transform their nature their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual selves using attention and intention. All of these transformative techniques demand one thing practice. The amount of practice that is needed requires a certain type of person a dedicated, dare I say, obsessive person, who will put all of their attention and intention in the desired direction.